Lamayuru

The road from leh to Kargil is studded with interesting places. Several popular ones and several in the zone of Hidden Treasures. Although by now those are also well-known.
Lamayuru Monastery
Midway to Kargil from Leh you pass a region that once looked like Moonland. Although, if you see only a certain part of it, it looks like Moonland. Basically with no trees whatsoever. But now lots of the valley is green. Like all other in Ladakh this is a valley surrounded by tall mountains. There is situated a very famous monastery called as Lamayuru Monastery. Almost same view from same point showing the increased greenery in 10 years. [ Left 2011, Right 2021] Originally this monastery was that of Bon Religion. Generally speaking Bon was the religion of the valley till it became Buddhist and later in parts, Muslim.

The legend says that there was a sea all around and a Buddhist saint Naropa, dried it up and built this monastery.

When I went there, it was officially closed. So basically no one was there. But thankfully I could walk around and click some pictures.